Old syrian (Golan) Jambiya/Khanjar.

[Athanase]

Hello,

Here is a Syrian dagger bought by my grandparents in Alger in the middle of the seventies.
After some research I found that it came from the area of Majdal Shams (Golan, Syria).
The blade is heavy and thick. The handle is made of bone, mother of pearl, brass, tin, horn (and wood?), coral (or colored red bone?) and pink stone?

There is a date on the back, but it is not clear 1225? (1810), 1235? (1819) 1325? (1907), 1335? (1917). :confused:

Another question: What is the name of this dagger? Jambiya or Khanjar? What is the difference?. :shrug:

[Kubur]

Hi,
The best is to look at
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13979&highlight=majdali
I will say 1335, early Mandate French colonial period in Syria...
Nice blade!
Best,
Kubur

[Athanase]

Ok, thank you. :)

[motan]

Hi Athanase,
Your dagger is a beatiful and early example of this type with few unusual features. As for the date, it is almost certainly 1325 -1907. The second digit is unclear, but the earliest examples I know of of this style are from around 1900 or a little earlier and earliest examples are a little different. So the second digit must be 3, not 2. The third digit is 2.
Other style elements, especially the scabbard and scabbard tip indicate Ottoman era. This style of sheath is uncommon and it appears that the sheet of copper alloy that covers the wood is thicker that in later examples. The blade type is also unusual and I have not seen this kind of decoration on a Majdaly blade. I like the use of red inserts, which should be Mediterranean red coral.
So very good and unique example of this type.

[motan]

Hi again. I am not 100% sure on the subject, but jambiya (from jambi - at my side) is a term often used for many daggers from the middle east by collectors, but as far as I know, only used by locals in Yemen and perhaps some adjacent areas in the Arabian peninsula like Nejd. Khanjar is a more generic Arabic term for dagger and is used widely-in fact for every dagger except those which have a specific name like kinjal, koummiya or shibriya. Therefore, your dagger is certainly a khanjar and is refered to as such by locals in Syria.

[broadaxe]

It's a khanjar (=dagger, Arabic). Jambiya is a term strictly used in the Arabia peninsula.
Majdal Shams = originally from Aramaic, Magdal Shamsha 'Tower of the Sun'. It is a remote, rural village (today, a town) settled on the high slopes of mount Hermon, thus having Alpine weather terms. It has been under the jurisdiction of Israel since 1967. Physically it is not a part of the Golan Heights. Several khanjar makers were recorded there, including one famous Family, Kadamany. Last makers were still operative by the early 1970's. Today the population is almost 100% Druze, in the past there were also Christians and Alawites.
http://www.lazafon.co.il/portals/0/%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%92%20%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%92'%D7%93%D7% 9C%20%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%A1%20(Small).JPG

[Athanase]

Thank you for hall your information. :)

[DaveA]

This is a very interesting Majdali dagger. Thank you for posting. I have several in my collection (see http://atkinson-swords.com/collection-by-region/middle-east/syria/majdali-janbiya-syria.html

What is the cross section shape of this blade?

Is the shape the same front and back?

Would you say it is more like an oval or like a flattened oval?

The grip portion of the hilt, is it flat or rounded on the sides?

There seem to have been two or maybe three artisans in Majdal Shams (مجدل شمس ) with distinct styles. I'm fascinated by these weapons. As far as I know, WWII was the end of their production.

-- Dave A

[BANDOOK]

Hi Dave,great Collection and Information,did you see my post of the dagger I posted a month back ,information from you will be great,cheers Rajesh

[Athanase]

Sorry for the late reply.



What is the cross section shape of this blade? Diamond

Is the shape the same front and back? Yes

Would you say it is more like an oval or like a flattened oval? The grip portion of the hilt? => Oval.

The grip portion of the hilt, is it flat or rounded on the sides? Rounded